Elevating Indigenous Governance in Natural Resources Management
As federal investments in public lands and natural resources continue to be challenged, TWP is collaborating with local groups to ensure Tribal leadership remains central in land management across the Southwest.
Elevating Indigenous natural resource governance means following Tribes’ lead from the start, and two recent gatherings mark this effort. In mid-July, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous foresters convened in Tesuque Pueblo, NM, to lay the foundation for development of a Tribal reforestation guide. Tailored specifically to the needs of Southwest Tribes, this guide will address the region’s unique ecological challenges while centering traditional knowledge systems. The meeting was an early step to establish roles and core content; ultimately the guide will be part of elevating Indigenous leadership in reforestation and forest management efforts throughout the region.
More recently, on-site at TWP’s Sante Fe office, nearly 30 participants came together for a strategic planning session focused on the Capulin Canyon restoration project. Participants in the session – including leaders from several Pueblo nations, U.S. Forest Service representatives, key partners from Ecotone Landscaping and High Water Mark, and TWP staff – collectively make up the East Jemez Regeneration Core Team leading restoration efforts in the area.
Capulin Canyon holds deep cultural and ecological importance for the Tribal communities surrounding it. A key watershed of the Rio Grande, Capulin Canyon is essential to the local water supply and landscape, but repeated wildfires have devastated native vegetation, caused severe flooding, and threatened the area’s broader ecological stability. Alongside Tribal partners, TWP’s efforts will focus on diverse, landscape-scale restoration efforts over the next 5 years including reforestation, native plant recovery, watershed restabilization, and wildfire mitigation.
The recent planning session focused on defining project boundaries and priorities, outlining restoration phases, and organizing next steps, under the guidance of Tribal leaders and representatives. This collaboration will continue throughout all stages of the project, helping to ensure restoration efforts respect Tribal sovereignty, center Indigenous knowledges, and reflect Pueblos’ long-term stewardship priorities.
Tribes should be the leaders in decisions that affect their landscapes and communities, and we see these convenings as key steps. Natural resources management must move beyond moments of Tribal input, and towards foundations of Tribal leadership, governance, and sovereignty.
